Foldable deck chair



Jan. 22, 1957 Filed July 6, 1955 W. SCHWEIZER FOLDABLE DECK CHAIR 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IAN/EH70]? Jan. 22, 1957 w. SCHWEIZER 2,778,407

FOLDABLE DECK CHAIR Filed July 6, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 v 1957 w. SCHWEIZER FOLDABLE DECK CHAIR 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 6, 1953 [Maw rm? W 1-5.? sO/Wfllfk United States v 2,778,407 FOLDABLE DECK CHAIR I Walter Schweizer, Zurich, Switzerland 7 Application July 6, 1953, Serial No. 366,328

1 Claim; Cl. 155-105 The invention relates to a foldable'deck chair of the kind comprising a seat portion, a back rest, four legs, and,if,desired, a foot rest.

It is the object of the invention to provide adeck chair of the kind referred to which'in the folded'condition occupies a minimum of space and can be easily accommodated in a portable bag or casing.

It is another object of the invention .to'provide a deck chair of the kind referred to which can be readily folded together and erected. i

With these and other objects in view I provide'a foldable deck chair comprising in combination: two symmetrical frames each consisting of a seat portion, a back rest portion, an arm rest,- an arm rest support and four legs all articulated toone another in the planeof the frame, spacing means connecting the said frames with with one another. In view of the complete symmetry of these two frame members, it will be suflicient to describe one of .them indetail and to refer to the other one merely in order to explain the assembly of the two frame members with one another.

7 Each frame member comprises a seat portion 1, to which a back rest portion 3 isarticulated by a joint 2 (Fig, 3). The back rest portion is adapted to be extended by a tiltablestrut 4 (Fig. 10) Near the upper end of the backrest portion 3 a slot 5 is provided which is engagedby a pin 6. The latter is fixedlyconnected to the strut 4 and can be shifted inthe slot 5 so far as necessary to be able to tilt the strut 4 aboutit'and to fold the same until it contacts the back rest portion 3.

An arm rest 8 is articulated about a pin 7 to the back rest portion. 3, andv a double-armed lever 10 is articulated to the said arm rest 8 about a pin 9. The said doublearmed lever 10 has a slot 11 (Fig. 3) into which a pin 12 fits. The latter is fixedly mounted on a bracket 13 which is rigidly attached to the seat portion 1 of the frame member.- The arm 10a of the double-armed lever 10 is provided at its lower end with, say, 'two recesses 14 which can ;be engaged at will into a pin 15 fixedly mounted on the seat portion 1. According to whether one or the other of the said recesses 14 engages the said pin 15, the oblique position of the back rest portion 3 can be varied. The slot 11 in the double-armed lever 10 allows the same to be moved in its own longitudinal one another, a canvas adapted to be.spread betwenv the U The said arm rest supports are preferably arranged shiftable in their own longitudinal direction within predetermined limits and provided at their lower ends with recesses selectively engaging lateral pins on each seat portion and thus forming the said arrester means securing the said quadrilateral in the position desired.

The said spacing means are preferably formed by struts articulated to one another and to each of the said frames, securing means being provided to fix the said struts in their stretched position. A foot rest portion is preferably cantilevered from the seat portions of the frame, and made shiftable in its own longitudinal direction, the said canvas being extended to the said foot rest portions and forming, in addition to forming the seat and back rest proper, the foot rest proper.

These andother objects and features of my invention will become clearly apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment of my improved deck chair given by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: b

Fig. 1 shows a deck chair in lateral elevation in the erected position,

Fig. 2 is a plan view to Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a section along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 on a larger scale than Figs. 1 and 2,

Fig. 4 is a plan view to Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 is a section along the line 5--5 of Fig. 2 on the same scale as Figs. 3 and 4,

Fig. 6 is a section along the line 6--6 of Fig. 5,

Figs. 7 to 10 show details on the same scale as Figs. 3 to 6, Figs. 7 and 9 being in front elevation, Figs. 8 and 10 in side elevation, and Fig. 8 partly in section.

Fig. 11 is a lateral elevation of the deck chair in the folded condition, on the same scale as Figs. 3 to 10.

Referring to these drawings, the deck chair consists of two symmetrical frame members which are articulated direction within predetermined limits in order to engage and disengage therecesses '14 and the pin 15 with one another.-.- I

As will be seen particularly well-in Fig. 3, part of the :backrestportion 3, of thejseat portion l, and of the arm rest 8,. forms with the arm rest support (doublearmed -lever' 10) an articulated quadrilateral, which can be folded so, as to occupy a minimum of space when folding the deck chair..-: 7

I On downwardly extending lugs 16 (Fig. 3 and Fig. 4) and 17 ;,(Figs. 5 and; l1)--of brackets fixed to the seat portion 1 U-shaped brackets 18 are attached. In each bracket 18 an arm or strut 19 is pivoted. These struts 19 of the two frame members are pivotally connected to one another by means of a link 20 (Fig. 7).

A shiftable sleeve 21, the length of which exceeds thatof the link 20, can be pushed over the latter whereby the two struts 19 are secured in their stretched position as a rigid whole. The legs 23 of the chair are articulated about rivets 22 provided for the attachment of the brackets 18. The position of the legs 23 as represented in Figs. 3 and 5 is made possible by the abutment pins 25 provided in the lugs 16 and'17.

The canvas 26 forming the seat and back rest proper (Figs. 1 and .2) is provided at each end with a seam, into which'arod 27 is inserted. The outer ends of the arms 4 are each provided with a recess 28 b (Fig. 10) into which the rod 27 at the upper end of the canvas 26 can be engaged. The lower end of the canvas 26 can be attached by means of its rod 27 into hooks 30 (Figs. 8 and 9) which are provided on the supporting rails 31 of the foot rest. These supporting rails are preferably made of T-profile the web 31a of which is guided in a groove 32 of the seat portion 1 of each frame member (Figs. 5 and 6). When not in use, the rails 31 rest along their full length on the seat portions 1 of each frame member. Near the front ends of the latter, rollers 33 are journalled which allow an effortless shifting of the rails 31. Moreover these rollers 33 hold the foot rest portion in its extended position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5. Below the rollers 33 a guide 36 is fixed at each seat portion 1, in which guide a strut 37 is shiftably inserted (Fig. 6) which serves as a support for the canvas 26. Between the strut 37 and the upper rod 27 the Patented Jan. 22, 1957 canvas .26 lies loose, in the usual manner. Retaining means 34 may be provided at the end of rail 31.

Prior to folding the deck chair as a whole, firstly the two rods 27 are lifted out'of their rest at the ends of the arms 4 (Fig and of the rails 31---(F ig.-1),--an d the canvas 26 is rolled around one, or both, "of them. Then the recesses 14 are disengaged from thepins '15, and the back rest portions 3 are tilted in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 3) until the same abut Orr-the seat portions 1 (Fig. 11). Moreover firstly the front legs 23are tilted until they abut'on the seat portions 1, and then the rear legs 23 are folded on top of the folded front legs (Fig. 11). Finally the sleeve 21 is pushed over one of the struts 19, so that the two frames can be brought into contact with one another by folding the struts 19 about their pivotal connections to the said frame members and to the link 20. Erection of the deck chair is effected in the inverse sequence. 7

As will be seen from Fig. 11 the deck chair occupies in its folded condition comparatively very little space, so that it can be easily accommodated in a portable bag or case. Folding and assembling of the deck chair can be carried out in a short time. 7

While I have described and illustrated what may be considered a typical and particularly useful embodiment of my said invention, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to the particular details and dimensions described and illustrated, for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

What 1 claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A foldable deck chair comprising in combination two symmetrical frame members and a flexible fabric body supporting member which is not directly attached to either of said frame members, each of said frame members comprising a portion adapted to form a side of a back rest part of the unfolded deck chair, a portion adapted to form a side of the seat part of said unfolded'chair, two legs, and an arm rest, means for pivotally connecting the two legs adjacent the ends of the seat side part so that, in folding, said legs may be pivoted inwardly to a position below and substantially parallel to the seat forming part, stop means limiting the outward pivotal movement of said legs, means for pivotally connecting the back rest side part of said frame to the seat side part adjacent one end of the latter so that said back rest side part may be pivoted inwardly to a position above and substantially parallel to said seat side part, means pivotally mounting one end of said arm rest on said back rest side part, adjustable means at the other end of said arm rest for selectively holding the back rest side part in one of at least two positions with respect to said seat side part, at least two collapsible means for holding said two frame members in spaced relation when said chair is in open unfolded position, said flexible fabric body supporting member having a relatively inflexible rod member at each end thereof, means adjacent the top of each of the back rest side parts of the frame members receiving the ends of said inflexible rod member when the chair is in open unfolded position, means adjacent the opposite ends of said chair for receiving the other of said inflexible rod'members, said seat side part of each of said frame members comprising a track groove in which a foot rest part is slidably mounted, retaining means comprising a roller extending over said foot rest part to position the said foot rest part with respect to the track groove.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain Oct. 15, 1934 

